JEDDAH — Real Madrid secured their place in the Spanish Super Cup final with a commanding 3-0 victory over Mallorca on Thursday at the King Abdullah Sports City Stadium (Al-Jawhara) in Jeddah. The win sets up a highly anticipated showdown against their eternal rivals, Barcelona, this Sunday. The match saw its fair share of drama, including scuffles between players, but the Madridistas ultimately emerged victorious. England international Jude Bellingham broke the deadlock in the 63rd minute, followed by an own goal by Mallorca's Slovakian defender Martin Valjent in added time. Brazilian star Rodrygo sealed the victory with a clinical strike deep into stoppage time. This is the second encounter between Real Madrid and Mallorca this season, with their first meeting in La Liga ending in a 1-1 draw last August. The final against Barcelona will mark their second clash of the season after the Catalan side triumphed 4-0 at Madrid's home ground in October. It also continues a heated rivalry in the Spanish Super Cup, with this being their third consecutive meeting in the final. Barcelona holds the record for the most titles in the competition, with 14 trophies, while Real Madrid aims to add another to their illustrious history. Barcelona advanced to the final after a 2-0 win over Athletic Bilbao on Wednesday in the other semi-final. Real Madrid is participating as last season's La Liga champions, while Barcelona joins as league runners-up. Bilbao earned their spot as Copa del Rey winners, with Mallorca qualifying as runners-up in the same competition.
